Rolls for rolling deck-beams



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ROLLS FOR ROLLING BBBBBBBB s. No. 371,360. Patented Oct. 11, 1887.

-iiiilllll ."miilil IINrrno STATES ATENT Fries3 JACOB REESE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLS FOR ROLLING DECK-BEAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,360, dated October l1, 1887;

Serial No. IQLSOS. (No model.)

To LU whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB Rnnsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Utilization of Old Rails in the Manufacture of' Deck-Beams; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof", reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l indicates a crosssectional view of a rail with the head slit from the web and iiange. Fig. 2 indicates a front elevation of a set of rolls provided with a series of grooves adapted to reduce the web and flange into the form of a finished deck-beam. Fig. 3 indicates a cross-sectional view of a finished deckbeam.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.

A deck-beam is of peculiar' shape, having a iianged base and a web projecting from the inside ofthe flange. The web is generally located at the centerof the flange, with one side or the web center at a right angle with the base of the iiange. In other eases the web projects up obliquely from the center or from a point near the center of the flange. The web varies in height, and is sometimes tapered 011 one and sometimes on both sides, and in some cases is provided with a bead on its top.

Deck-beams have been manufactured from blooms and piles, which cost at present from thirty-five to tifty to $550) dollars per ton, according to quality, while old iron and steel rails may be had at twenty-two to twentythree dollars per ton. My invention is espeeially adapted for the manufacture of the steel beams at a low cost, as the steel rails cost less than iron rails, and the steel deck-beams will command a higher price than those made from iron.

My invention consists, essentially, in first slitting the rail-head from the fiange and web, and then subjecting the web and flange to the reducing action of a set of' rolls provided with grooves adapted to gradually reduce the metal in the central portion of the fiange and taper the web to the form desired; secondly, in the particular means shown for accomplishing this reduction.

In the practice of my invention old rails are properly heated and passed through a slitting-mill adapted to remove the head from the web and flange, as is indicated by Fig. l. The web and ilange portion is then passed into the first groove, which reduces the height of' the web as may be desired, and at the same time reduces the central portion of and dishes the flange, thus producing a bar composed of three arms united at and radiating at equal angles from their common center. The object of this action is to produce a blank which may be turned to bring each arm successively down into the lower portion ofthe succeeding grooves, in order that it may be edged after being reduced in the preceding groove. In other words, when the blank is entered flange side up into the first groove, the tongue ofthe upper roll reduces the central part of the flange, and the inclined walls of' the upper part .of the groove in the lower roll force the wings ofthe flange upward, thus producing a blank of suitable shape to admit of being turned from time to time for edging during its subsequent passage through succeeding grooves. \'Vhen the blank has thus been shaped in the first groove, it is turned onethird of a revolution and entered into the seeond. rIhe action of' this groove compresses the metal in the upper part of the blank and forces a portion of` it down into the lower part. The blank is again turned one third of a revolution and passed through the third groove, which also thins the upper and edges the lower arms of the blank, distributing the metal evenly in the three sections. The blank is then passed through the remaining grooves, which bevel one of the arms and bring the others at right angles with it and reduce the metal to the shape and size desired.

In the manufacture of deck-beams as de-` scribed the head of the rail is not utilized in making beams; but it may be rolled down into rounds, iiats, squares, 85e., and is worth thirty dollars per ton as billet-s for such purposes.

Deck-beams having a five-inch iiange and a five-inch web may be made from old iron or steel rails by the use of my improvement, and the cost of producing this and all smaller sizes will IOO not exceed thirty-live ($35) dollars per ton when old rails are selling at twenty-three dollars per t0n.

The distinguishing features of my invention are that I form deck-beams from old rails by slitting the head from the web and iiange, then subject the web and flange to the reducing aetion of rolls provided with a series of grooves adapted to equalize, distribute, and edge the metal in the three Wings of the blank and reduce it to the particularshape and size desired.

The advantages of the invention are mainly. first, the utilization of a'low-prieed stock, and a consequent saving of from twelve to twenty dollars per ton in manufacture; secondly, I dispense with roughing-rolls, dre., and obtain all the direct and incidental advantages which result therefrom.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to securel by Letters Patent, 2o

A pair of rolls having passes, the first conforming to the shape of tlie base and iiange of a rail and the last to the shape of adeck-bea'm, and the intervening passes shaped substan- 25 tially as described. v

J A COB REESE.

NVitnesses:

FRANK M. Rnnsn, e n WALTER REEsE. 

